François Legault, Leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), will stay on as the premier of Québec after winning a majority government in a landslide victory.
Catch up: Legault started his political career in the separatist, social democratic Parti Québécois (PQ) before founding the CAQ a decade ago. The new party dropped calls for independence in favour of a nationalist agenda and pro-business views.
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Before politics, he was also a one-hit businessman after cofounding Montreal-based Air Transat in 1986, now the country's third-largest airline.
- His win in the 2018 election marked the start of a new era in Quebec politics after five decades dominated by the seperatist Parti Québécois and provincial Liberal party.
Many PQ voters turned to the CAQ after giving up on sovereignty as a realistic goal while Québec Solidaire has attracted a younger cohort of seperatist voters.
- By 2018, the PQ lost its official party status (falling short of 10 seats) and was reduced to a blip last night, on track to win just three seats in the National Assembly.
Why it matters: Most of the CAQ's first four years were spent managing the pandemic, but now the party will have to deliver on election promises that include fixing healthcare, addressing the labour shortage, and tackling inflation.
- Québec is on track to see the country's strongest pandemic recovery, its debt levels are decreasing, and the unemployment rate is falling.
Zoom out: Legault has faced his share of criticism as of late, but his growing popularity signals that most Québecers are keen to let him shape the way for the province's political future and define his legacy along the way.